The great privilege and responsibility we have as teachers is getting to love our students—to always will the good of our students and to always value them, especially who they are at the core of their being.

We do this first face-to-face on a regular, perhaps daily, basis. We are there in moments of joy, enthusiasm, and laughter—and sadness, anxiety, and frustration, trying to bring comfort, security, or simply to make them feel unalone in those tough times.

For many years, I had a “you are loved” sticker on my laptop to remind students that they are loved, first by God, but also by people in their lives, including me. It’s easier to choose love in your actions when you remember that you are loved, that you are valued, that your worth does not need to be earned.

And just as God takes delight in each of us, we are called to do the same with our students. Sometimes in a completely silent classroom, perhaps as the students take an exam, I will look at each student and reflect upon the unique, irreplaceable gift that each child is to our community and our world. I will meditate upon the goodness I see in each child, no matter if they have perfect grades and display exemplary behavior or that moment is a brief reprieve from various shenanigans or limited effort.

We are called to see each child as a whole person—and students should know that we see them that way. They should know we value their intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being, as we work to help them reach their potential in each of these areas. Catholic schools exist to form saints and advance the common good. If we lose sight of the integral nature of each child or the transcendent value and destiny of each child, we will fail in our critical mission.

Finally, when they have graduated, we love them from a distance, wherever they are and whatever they are doing, regardless of how much time has passed.

If we want our students to choose love, live joyfully, and create a more just world, it must begin with our own witness, our commitment to living these things, and giving kids a sense of their own immeasurable worth. It starts with trying to bring some joy into their lives. A school without play, humor, and fun will never generate a love of learning or allow its students to fully flourish.

We can and should show them what it looks like to live with authenticity, passion, kindness, and concern for others. And we can make sure they know they are loved. We must.